This invention relates in general to stone cutting devices and in particular to such a device having a flexible and continuous stone cutting belt.
For the purposes of removing hard natural stone from quaries and further processing it, means for cutting stone have been developed and improved on over the years. Various wire saws have been designed to cut stone after it is removed from the ground. For example, the U.S. Pat. No. 3,598,101 issued to Hensley describes a continuous wire saw with cutting elements attached. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,212, I disclosed an improved wire saw comprising abrasive cutting elements sleeved over an endless flexible wire and a pressure molded-in-place resilient material surrounding the cable and providing a substantially uniform diameter for the endless saw. This saw is commonly used in stationary wire saw stands wherein the wire saw is engaged by two sheaves located on either side of the block of stone being sawed. My patented wire saw is also adaptable for cutting stone which is still in the ground. In this application, holes must first be drilled in the stone through which the wire saw is threaded and then reattached and drivenly engaged by a single pulley. Despite the ability to use my wire saw in a quary application, it is desireable to have a continuous running device for cutting stone in the ground which does not require the tasks of drilling holes and threading and reattaching a wire saw.
Other methods and devices for removing stone from the ground are currently in use. It is known to drill holes in stone and then wedge large pieces of stone out with mechanical means employing hydraulics and pneumatics. This method is difficult, time consuming and does not result in a smooth, cut surface on the stone. A device is known to be used in Europe which includes a jib pivotally mounted to a vehicle, having aligned sprockets and a guide bar to drive a continuous chain on which diamond cutting bits are attached for cutting stone. The jib travels through the stone as it is cut away by the chain saw. Several problems are associated with using this chain-type saw. The chain is heavy, expensive and must be run at slow speeds because of its mechanical construction. The chain also causes vibration during operation and wears out easily. Should the chain break during operation, it may perilously fly off the jib.
While improvements in the wire saw have resulted in less expensive, smoother, faster and safer operation of stationary wire saw devices, these advantages have not been heretofore available in the quary application where a jib is used. The invention disclosed herein is addressed to overcoming this problem.